Automatic aircraft separation assurance
The present invention replaces the use of a pilot information display method and instead relies upon an automated three dimensional aircraft tracking system using only aircraft tracking data supplied by internal spherical coverage dual mode sensor system. Separation is accurately predicted and minimum flight path separation (from all nearby aircraft) is automatically assured by signals to the aircraft flight control system without action or intervention by the pilot. When predicted separation is less than minimum separation for the host aircraft, flight control is temporarily removed from the pilot until the automated system redirects the flight path to enable the predicted separation to exceed the minimum separation for the host aircraft. When on-board sensor system predicts separation greater than required minimum, then flight control is returned to the pilot.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,744,738 June 2014 Bushwell
This patent describes prediction of flight path for own aircraft and for second aircraft, determines minimum projected separation, but relies on data supplied from external data sources. No description of on-board sensor data to provide tracking data for second aircraft
U.S. Pat. No. 8,380,424 February 2013 Bushwell
This patent describes prediction of flight path for own aircraft and for second aircraft, determines minimum projected separation, but relies on data supplied from external data sources. No description of on-board sensor data to provide tracking data for second aircraft
U.S. Pat. No. 7,706,979 April 2010 Hefferwitz
Data source used for developing tracking predictions and separation are only from outside the aircraft. No description of on-board sensing.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,580,776 August 2009 McCusker
This patent has no description of on board sensor capability, but does use path prediction to project minimum separation. Pilot notified, pilot has final responsibility for collision avoidance.
All current references and published literature for aircraft separation assurance and/or air traffic collision avoidance systems are based on using data supplied by external sources, and/or internal data sources, but wherein pilot (human operator) has ultimate responsibility for air collision prevention (URCP). Pilot's own aircraft flight path control (whether pilot is in cockpit or in a ground station for UAS) is via manual operational control means. Pilot flight path control is optionally aided by automated navigation and flight control systems that collect and employ the referenced external/internal data sources. The pilot is assisted by displays during manual and automated flight control, including those displays associated with an on-board Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS, when that system is installed). Result is that pilot (human) inspection of a display plus exercise of human judgement is required before adequate separation from other aircraft can be achieved for the host aircraft. This shortcoming of existing flight control systems can result in pilot error regarding maintenance of adequate separation and guarantee of collision avoidance at all times. Elevation of the separation assurance (and collision avoidance) probability (to level that is guaranteed) requires the temporary elimination of the human pilot (on the ground or in the cockpit) in the flight control loop. That probability elevation step requires use of an on-board system that is independent of all external sources of traffic control data. Guarantee of automatic separation assurance under the described invention is enabled by incorporation of features that also automatically and continually calibrate and functionally validate reliable system operation. Therefore, the method and system herein described temporarily accepts and guarantees URCP.
The present invention replaces the use of a pilot information display method and instead relies upon an automated three dimensional aircraft tracking system so that separation is accurately measured and minimum flight path separation (from all nearby aircraft) is automatically assured by signals to the aircraft flight control system without action or intervention by the pilot. The pilot will be notified by a display that the automated separation assurance system is temporarily controlling the aircraft flight and the pilot will again be notified when flight control is returned to the pilot. Three dimensional separation tracking is enabled by use of dual sensor modes; that is use of co-bore-sighted high resolution three dimensional radar with two dimensional electro-optical camera. This use of three dimensional tracking assures higher reliability of the separation assurance system and allows the separation assurance and collision avoidance to be automated. This system eliminates any possible pilot error and results in greater air safety for manned or unmanned aircraft. A display showing minimum separation distance (in KM), based upon tracking data and projected flight path for all aircraft in the vicinity is provided at all times to the pilot of a manned aircraft or to the operator of unmanned aircraft. This data provides direct evidence that the system is functional and reliable. This system only removes flight control from the pilot if separation distance is compromised and only for a brief period of time until separation distance is restored to a value higher than the minimum. This automated system operates in virtual real time and has higher probability of preventing collision threat from nearby aircraft that systems that rely on pilot display and pilot decision by eliminating all possibility of human error.
The invention relates to the field of avionics airborne flight safety and in particular to an apparatus and method for automatic air vehicle separation assurance (and collision avoidance) that eliminates any possibility for pilot error aboard a host aircraft (or at ground station for unmanned aircraft) or failure of external flight traffic control systems data input. Elimination of pilot or human error potentially elevates aircraft, separation assurance, collision avoidance and aviation safety to a new level for manned and unmanned aircraft.
A sensor suite for a host aircraft (10) extends the field-of-regard to full spherical coverage, 4Pi steradians. The method and apparatus makes use of two hemispherical sensor subsystems as shown in
Drawing of an exemplary dual mode sensor hemispherical subsystem (20) is shown in
A block diagram for the spherical coverage dual mode automatic aircraft separation assurance system (30) is presented in
Claims
1. Automatic Aircraft Separation Assurance apparatus and method disposed aboard a host aircraft requiring minimum separation distance, said apparatus including a sensor suite, processor, separation assurance algorithms and pilot display, said method detecting and tracking all aircraft in the spherical field-of-regard of said host aircraft, said processor predicting said host aircraft separation distance, said pilot display informing pilot of predicted separation distance, said pilot display alerting pilot if flight control is removed from the pilot. Said processor operating said separation assurance algorithms on said sensor suite tracking data predicting said host vehicle tracking separation below specified minimum separation for said host aircraft, said AASA apparatus temporarily suspending pilot flight control, supplies direction/altitude commands to said host aircraft flight control system, indicates via said pilot display suspension of pilot flight control. Said direction/altitude commands enable increased tracking separation of said host aircraft to exceed said minimum separation distance. Said sensor suite track data processor separation assurance algorithms return pilot flight control when said separation distance exceeds said minimum separation distance.
2. The AASA apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by dual mode sensor suite for detection and tracking of aircraft in said spherical field-of-regard of said host aircraft.
3. The AASA apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by said dual mode sensor suite having first hemispherical dual mode sensor subsystem mounted and aligned with said host vehicle flight path direction plus second hemispherical dual mode sensor subsystem aligned with said first hemispherical dual mode sensor directed opposing said flight path direction.
4. The AASA apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by said hemispherical dual mode sensor subsystem consisting of a multiplicity of dual mode sector sensors arrayed on a hemispherical surface.
5. The AASA apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by said dual mode sector sensors covering a specified angular sector field-of-view of said hemispherical field-of-regard.
6. The AASA apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by said dual mode sector sensor consisting of three dimensional radar sensor disposed and aligned with two dimensional electro-optical video sensor sharing said sector field-of-view.
7. The AASA apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by said processor fusing output of said three dimensional radar sensor with output of said two dimensional electro-optical sensor to provide three dimensional tracking data for all detected aircraft in said sector field-of-view of said hemisphere field-of-regard.
8. The AASA apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by said processor combining three dimensional tracking data for said host aircraft in said sector field-of-view with three dimensional tracking data for said aircraft from all said dual mode sensor sectors in said first hemispherical field-of-regard.
9. The AASA apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by said processor three dimensional tracking data for said host aircraft spherical field-of-regard combining three dimensional tracking data for first hemispherical field-of-regard with three dimensional tracking data for said host aircraft second hemispherical field-of-regard.
10. The AASA apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by said processor predicting minimum separation distance enabled by said separation assurance algorithms operating on said three dimensional tracking data in said spherical field-of-regard.
11. The AASA apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by said processor temporarily disabling pilot flight control when said predicted separation distance is below said minimum separation distance for said host aircraft.
12. The AASA apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by said cockpit display of said predicted separation distance.
13. The AASA apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by said processor commands to said flight control system enabling change in said host aircraft direction and/or altitude to reduce predicted separation distance.
14. The AASA apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by said cockpit display indicator that pilot flight control has been disabled because said aircraft minimum separation distance has been breached.
15. The AASA apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by said cockpit display that pilot flight control has been restored when said minimum separation distance predicted by said processor has been exceeded.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 18, 2015
Publication Date: Mar 23, 2017
Inventor: Robert M. Knox (Geneva, IL)
Application Number: 14/858,824